THE PIAKO SWAMP LAND.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 635, 15 June 1876, Page 2

THE PIAKO SWAMP LAND.

The fallowing Wellington telecrnm nppears in yesterday's Auckland p iperi. We can offer no explanation of its actual meaning. Our readers must mako that out for themselves : -

Willie gton, Tuesday. The New Zealand Chuotte contains an Order hi Council specifying the conditions under which, the Piako swamp lands remain. Theso arc as follows : The block contains 83,32> acres, uncl the Secretary for Crown Lands is authorised to •ell it "by private Roman contiaet (?) for tho sum of H22,02'J. A portion of t!n-<, tiz., £13,152 is to bo paid to tho receiver of land rovenuc.3 for the Auckland province, and tlio remaining £9,377 is to be erpended in draining and making roads through tho land. The sale is to take place withm jv month from tho publication of the Order in Council, and whenever tlie purchase money has bt-en paid, a Crown Giunt m farour of the purchaser is to wane forthwith.

Tin: extracts which wo publish clsowhero frain the Auckland Herald and Stur, written to order for tho purpose of damaging tho the Ministry, strike with both an amusmg and a saddening effect upon tho readers mind, Ono cannot iielp smiling at tho ludicreusnees of the letter from Te Mopu, addressed to their Father, Sir George, Groy, by the four loving fi lends, of whom one i 3 the acluul lather of Iho murderer, Wmiata ; or at the racy effusion of Stick-at nothing- Alley , of Ohinensud notoriety. Birds of a feather flock together, and it Sir George and his party aro reduced to the necessity of getting testimonials as to character and vindication of the veracity of thoir Bta.teu.ent3 fiom such i>eiMoU3 as Farengdrcnga end iVIr Henry Alley, they ha-ro sunk lower than even those who held tlion in the least posaiblo esteem would crer have supposed •them capable of doing. I'jor Defence Minister ! If ho had hi en insulted by theoflbr of a'pig ; meant os it ttas and has been on other occasions as u high compliment, was not that sufficient, but, that he must bo asked to uccept the wholo hog *in tho person or Alley, who challenges Sir Donald, to meet him ac Alexandra, bringing with i him tho Governor and Sir Go-jrgd G-rej a? arbitrators, to sco fair play ! And yet, tho \ Heiald can publish Bitch balderdash as thiB crack-brained atomy of a man ehosos to furnish lrim with, as " more light on tho lato negotiotions m Waikuto." Wo sc-arcu know which is worthy of tho moat profound contempt — the politican and party loader who can employ theso men, those who do his bidding, or that portion of tho •Opposition Preisof tho Colony which pro»vitutes itsolf to Provincialism I>y tho propagation of such diatortiuu of evonts as facts. But, there is another and a sadder side to tho piituro. A farco on one side, it presents a tragedy on the other. We c.\n well understand that the natives are heartily sick of tho interference of agents, but such .agents are tho3o, not of tho Government, but of tho Opposition. Sir Georgo Grey may prate as he likes of tho infringed consti tutional rights of tho people of New Zealand, but we would ask him is there another country in tho civilised world, tho Government of vilncu would allow such men us he and Alley, er any one else, to interfere between them and their policy und their diplomatic negotiations w ith an alien raco in a stato of passive hostility. Such a course of conduct would be uonsideied treasonable, and bo treated as iucli j end wo cannot but feel that the Colonial Government of Now Zealand must be strong indeed, and that Sic Donald JlcLein must bo well satisfied with the result of his mission to Waikato when tho intormoddling of huckstering politicians aud their subierrient tooli is treated as it is by tho Government with the most profound contempt and indifft rence.

Tub Ftjnrrai. of thk latb M«s Cd!hmino. — The remains of this lady wero on Tuesday oonv«yed to hrr laafc resting place in the cemetery of Ea»t Hamilton, after a weary guttering of many years tickneii, attended by a numerous following of mourners Mid friends, who ussembled from all parts of the Waiknto diatnot to take part in tins last tribute of respect fnid to her memory. The coffin containing Afrs Cumwing's remains only arrived in the ' Waikato steamer at Hamilton about - p <:i on Tuesday, the boat baring unfortunately run uground the proceeding eYAning when oppoaitu Hanginn, an 1 t lio uncertnijity of tlio arrival of the bout at Hamilton on Tuesday owing to this uivuuibt men being known, and the fact th.it a Tory largo num her of settlers woro necessarily c.il ed v«uy by the monthly snlj at Oh.wpo prevented many nt a distances from attending who would olliunruj havo been pi-eae'it lv CambiiJgo it was rmno nod tliiit tlio body coukl n_>t possi'oH CDUli' up that day. The fiom that townsliip, when) Mr Cummin^ h well known and muu'i csteomed, would h ive been very large, as it was, however, tlio attendance was ,i vury lull one, influling settlma lunn Cunbudge, Ng.iriu. wall 1.1 and other parta ot the dial net. Tho procossion loiini'd 11L the Coni|iany'o store on the Jinat eido of tho river. A long line ot mourners on foo , amongst whom vvoiu tit my womt'ii belongint; t, > East Jiamilton, lmmcduitt'ly followed tha body, next 0; 110 a large b'lJy of horsemen riding tiv » and two, and alter th< so sonic dozen or more of carnages, followed a^aiu by others on horsebac^ uno arrived lute from a distance, and brought, up the roar. Tbe'fuuuidl c■)rteg^ was met ut fie mtrance of the biuying ground by tin* U v William Caitli-r, incumbent ot Si P-U'c's, UaunlJ ton, whj net formed thj fuuoral ouvicl-.

Fooiinu — \ mjoMni; ot tht» m^pih.^s of th* ' Hamilton K.«»tlnll t lnh w II bp lulil on Satur \ il iv, it Uwviiih'S Hot' l, to fiiv'mj Ihf propK-icil ( r.jiLi'lilo uu jil.vjed shortly «iili tlie Auckland in 'ii.

Swait, I3CT FrrrctKM' Ftre Machini- — Uter much ' alk u new fire-engine has been Kent to Now Plymouth. It 11 not a Tory large one, but in civ? of lire will piovo usjful. A triil rnndtj lately On wed tlur wuter could bo thrown to 20 or .J ) feet -ii h lght, mil n, s'-ill fwrtlutr distan -c ; one mmcmi cury Llie machine containing 15ft. of hose and 12 buckets. The makers are Aferrpweuther iind Co, of London ; in ci^e of iiro it can bo carru'd close to tlio ntc at winch it is t<i be used, and the canvas buckets serve I out to keepawater supply, and amlli brancii manandtliß pump 011 could keep it continually at work. A number of t lie •tnnchmis havo been fant out to the colony, and luito proved very useful. The agent for the Imperial Firo In«uranse •Company in Waikato.is endoavouung to introduce th.* sime, and we wish that energetic gentleman every success.

Who Pays tiie Printer ? — We learn f pom the Auckland paper* that the letter f»jm h'u Honor the Nupentntfiidcnt to tho Ktrl of Carnarvon ha 3 been published an tho " Provincial Govern- | ment (Jajietto" of Saturday last; also tho correspondence with tho Native Minister respecting tho parsing through the Native Land* Court of tho rfunjjuuunua block of nutivo land. New, we hafo no objection that those letters and pipers, and scores Hint have preceded them, should have every publicity given to thetn^ but, we a*k, by what right does Sir George saddle tho cost of so doing on tho people of this Province. Et cry correspondence thai. Sir tteorge Grey gets up for political party purposes, and he siems to have httlo clio to do than amuse hun&elf with this soit of pssado despatch wutmg, is fortliwith printed in tho 4 'Provincul G-ovci'iiuieut ■Cfazette." It may please Hur Goorge to make public rocorda of hi* private correspondence, for wo can call it nothing else, and it may furnish -an excellent means ot subediting sn Auckland Opposition Journal, which has tho contract for tho Provincial Government printing, !>ut, it is source fair upon the public, whicli has to pay the piper.

j Takisu hie Odds.— Aninitance occuwtd in Nijiii Ufivruhu on Tuesday, of tha mequahty of the law ■*« regards Maori and European. Many of our readers ure, doubtless, unaware that in the matter ot petty lareony there is one law for the Muori and unothcr for tho European ; that when the latter, if proved guiltr, has to expiato his offence m gaol, the other may simply pay time times the value of the goods stolen, togother with co3ts, and walk out ot Court a fi'eo man. Thanks to the leniency of the law, the Maori is tumbled to raduce theft to a science oi speculation. If tho chances ot being found out, or escaping detection are about equal, he can, it 11 sporting character, give tho law the odds, and bade himself at 3 to 1 ; if, on tho other liund, tbo -chances of detection are remote, the odds arc in his farour, and ho steals as a nutter of course, that is, if ho has anytkiug of the spirit of gambling in him at all. It appeals that, in thia case, a lutite named 2lmu<ina took a fancy to a coat in Mr (hlmuur'd shop, at Ngaruawalna. The coat hung very temptingly, no ono was m eigkt, and iiuniouu thought uo might give Mr Gilmour the odd*. 11 o did to, but founrl ho had made a bad book, and attempted to hedge, by making tracks, but was quickly over-hauled, with tiio coat iv hU possession, and Tuesday beiiii» appointed as settling day, both parties to tho evont put iv an »|>- p'ur.nice in tho R. M. Court, bctoro Mr dearanekc, tho Uoaident Magistrate, who acted as releroo for tho oocasion. The R. M. decided that tho Maori hud los^, and ho lia>l to hand &vci three times tlie vuluo of thocoat, andos.s. j The pjoi" follow mil, uo doubt, mike it «p the I next orjipoitunity that occuk for making a book with soino Ptikeha where tho odds arc not so mwili ag.unst him as thay were ia the caso of Mr Uihnour.

Fasjuonatjlt: TxrfILtTGKSCB. — If l!io mcmnt iin will not go to Mahomet, Mahomet mud needs coiae to the mountain. Sir G-oor^e {f-ivy dis-tp-pointed the diukv sultan >s of I lie King country in not going up in tho train ot the Defcuuo M muter, nnd so itieso lndu-i — possiblj that it is leap ( year ui.xy bavo influenced them somewhat -have taken tho initiative and gono to Boe' Sir George. We have a lively recollection of having se< i n Sir Goorgo in the oldon timo, with a dusky bdle on either »i in outer tho I'rinoe of W.vles theatre and take lih soiiC between them, the observed of ull i observers, ftnd doubtless the honours of AuekI lmd were as gallantly done by tlio worthy i Kuij»ht «luring the few day^B time tho throj " Pnncesaco" wore in Auckltuirl pivTious to tlu sailing of tho Luna for Wellington. We do not loam tint tho J'uncesscs aueoinpinieil the iSiiptTmtendcnt to Well melon. So much, bo we to r, the Auckland •' Stir" ot Friday last told us,- — "Auckland n i\t, pre^out lionourcl with the visit of three i*rince«BO3 — the daughter of At.inuhiri, the Maori King's Prime Minister, u-id two mnidd of honour, 'ikese lotrely nud noble liiliei uro neivto thj arts of en ihicjd ht<s, and scorn to on case their feet in high-heeled bjots and their headi with pork-pic hata, aflor the manner of woakcr monibera of tlwir sex u,.d moe. They say tl.ry will go about barefooted ns it 13 the custom with their tnbu in the King country. Tho buildings of Auckland piu^e.U a perpetual source of wonderment to them, and tho Princess wanders down tho centre of tin* sfroit followed in single file by her two tittemta»t% all gazing from side to Bidr and mentally taking note*. She upholds the dignity of her nation, however, with royal pride, and declared to u questioner ibat although beyond the confisratiou border thorn aru no budding's so large as tho new post ofiloe, jet that hitlo edifice was nothing to what they could do if tl'«y hkod. Uor Koyal Iligl.nu33 has, we understand, raudo a state Tisit to Sir G-eorgo Oivy."

Njiw LocvLlXDuajur — We are glad to l oam that the suggoitiou made by this journal, some throo or four inouih* since, of the dosirubleni ss of eatublibljing a fellmongery in tlio Wuikuto distnet has been acted upon by Me-sra Uyron a-id Carpontcr of the W.vipa. Thoso gentlemeu liave obtained tuo services of a competent hund, and a workshop established on the Wnikato will bo a source ol convenience to the settlers and we trutft of profit to I lie enterprisng proprietors. A lar^o number of sheep are killed, not only by the butchers but by the settler* themselves for home consumption. Whether a local firm will be able to give a hotter prico or not, at any rate of collecting (ho skins upin tho spit they inny yuve tho owners of pelts some trouble, n'id the latter Bbould afford every possiblu facility to the establishment am'juyst them of ' manufacturing industries of any kind whatever. II the occupution of a new farm is a matter of congrfttal&tion ti the whole ditlnct, tho establishment ol any other iudustry id doubly so to the settlor, for, it not only adds to the wealth of tbe district generally, but helps to provide a homo market for tho settlers productions.